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Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.
Getty Images /
Usain St. Leo Bolt finished Rio 2016 as the greatest Olympic sprinter of all time. And for that, he makes a lot of money.
2016-08-22
Bolt has amassed six individual gold medals and three team golds since 2008 at the Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He also holds the world record in both the 100 meters and the 200 meters.
As a result of his relentless success, Bolt has amassed a fortune in prize money and sponsorship deals — his most lucrative, with Puma, will earn him more than $10 million each year until 2025, according to Forbes.
But how exactly does he spend all of that cash?
Usain Bolt earned $32.5 million in the year running up to the 2016 Olympics.
Prize money in athletics events is relatively low. Bolt earns $10,000 for every race he wins in the Diamond League, but he is often paid appearance fees of up to $400,000 per meet.
Another big earner for the Jamaican athlete comes from Bolt's character in the Temple Run mobile gaming franchise, which has more than a billion downloads.
It makes sense that the world's fastest man enjoys reaching high speeds on the road. One of the track star's most lavish purchases is an £80,000 ($105,000) black Nissan GT-R.
A photo posted by Usain St.Leo Bolt (@usainbolt)
Never content with just one trophy, Bolt also owns a special-edition gold GT-R. This one however, was given to him by Nissan after he won three gold medals at the London Olympics in 2012.
Despite his international success, his main base is not far from home. One of Bolt's biggest purchases is his mansion in the Norbrook housing complex in Kingston, for an undisclosed figure.
Bolt's neighbours are rapper Sean Paul and model Jodi "Jinx" Stewart-Henriques. The couple have complained about the track star's loud and lavish parties in the past.
"Between the bikes, loud, horrid music, parties and screams, I honestly wish he would go back to where he came from," Stewart-Henriques wrote on Facebook in 2015, according to The Daily Mail. "He's a horrible neighbor."
Bolt's partying is not confined to his home. In 2015 he reportedly ordered £10,000 worth of vodka in a Mayfair nightclub ... and accidentally left without settling the bill.
When he realized his mistake the next day, the athlete reportedly returned to the Drama nightclub to settle the bill.
Ian Walton / Getty Images
In 2009, Bolt bought a home in Rum Cay Island in the Bahamas for an unknown fee. "Who wouldn't want to live on Rum Cay?" Bolt asked at the time. "It is magnificent."
As well as hard partying and luxury purchases, Bolt also gives back to his community. He regularly donates sports equipment to the Thorpe William Knibb Memorial High School in Jamaica, where he was once a student.
Ian Walton / Getty Images
In 2015 Bolt handed over $1.3 million — as well as the usual bounty of sports equipment — to his old school.
One of Bolt's biggest hobbies is music. He has been performing DJ sets in public since 2010. The equipment does not come cheap, with high-end DJ decks costing more than £5,000.
Christine Bolt-Hylton, Bolt's sister, has said there is a "very strong possibility" that her brother will propose to Bennett on his return from Rio. Bolt is unlikely to scrimp on the engagement ring or the wedding, having referred to himself and Bennett as "president and first lady" on Instagram.
A photo posted by Usain St.Leo Bolt (@usainbolt)
Bolt travels the world in style, often by private jet.
He hangs out with lots of famous figures, including UK royal Prince Harry.
Getty Images
But much of the athlete's time is spent training on the track.
Ian Walton / Getty Images
Having just turned 30, Bolt is aware that his speed cannot last forever. He plans to retire after the 2017 World Championships in London, leaving him with much more time to spend that hard-earned cash.
Will is a features writer at Business Insider UK.Before Business Insider, Will worked at CNN. He's a recent graduate in philosophy from the University of Cambridge.
